I've seen a significant amount of support on this board for Ann Coulter's recent comments on CNBC. Let me explain why that support is misplaced:

First, as an initial matter, I don't think Coulter's comments about Jews needing to be "perfected" are offensive at all. As an observant Jew, I obviously don't agree with Coulter. But Coulter's remarks here clearly represent standard Christian belief, and it's wrong and intolerant to condemn someone for her basic religious beliefs (provided, of course, that those beliefs don't cause one to do things like blow up Israeli school children or crash airplanes into buildings).

That being said, Coulter said more than standard Christian dogma. In explaining why the 2004 GOP convention was "like heaven," Coulter said "People were happy. They're Christian. They're tolerant. They defend America." That's flatly wrong and blatantly offensive -- attendees at the GOP convention included Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists, agnostics and adherents of several other faiths. In defining the Republican Convention (and, tacitly) the Republican Party as Christian-only, Coulter has done a tremendous disservice to Republicans and conservatives in general. The fact of the matter is that you don't have to be Christian to believe in things like small government, strong national security, legal fidelity to the constitution, and basic moral values. No one here should defend attempts to define conservatism or the Republican Party as limited to believing Christians. . .

As an aside, please don't let this thread be dominated with replies trying to "convince" me that Christianity is right. Suffice it to say that I have heard and rejected every single one of those arguments. But, as is the nature of being a 1% minority, I -- like most Jews -- get missionized quite frequently, which we find very irritating. Kind of like door-to-door salesmen who keep showing up a few times a week and don't always take a polite "no" for an answer.

Coulter appears to be a juvenile ditz who has difficulty coming up with substance and reverts to adolescent retorts (such as If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans with Coulter making a 'modelesque' pose on the cover).

That stated, Coulter isn't all that crazy. This is just another case of pointing out somewhat superficial or partial flaws in subjects which are generally supported.

6
posted on 10/12/2007 3:33:08 PM PDT
by Jedi Master Pikachu
( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)

I wouldn’t think of missionizing you. I’d just appreciate it if you didn’t missionize us.

When you’re in a group that is 70-80% Jewish, do you find it highly offensive when a speaker addresses the crowd as if all the peopole were Jewish?

I’ve been in situations like that, and it wasn’t particularly alarming to me. I chose to enter a venue knowing I was the minority, and I realized what I might hear going in. Big deal.

Ann is a good person and I like her. I don’t find this problematic.

BTW, if you are of a mind to let this sour you on consevatives, you better think long and hard about who your friends are. And I can guarantee you Ann Coulter would line up behind you in seconds if a threat against the Jews were to rear it’s ugly head. I certainly can’t say that for other goups out there.

Think long and hard about who you saw parading around with Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. They weren’t conservatives my friend, and it certainly wasn’t Ann Coulter.

Ann said what she did to get a rise out of the person she was speaking to. I had a friend who used to say, "Guns for the Arabs; Sneakers for the Jews," to me. It was a joke. Judge these people by their actions and how they treat us.

As an agnostic, I can tell you that I am not offended by Ann Coulter’s remark, nor am I offended to be associated with Christians (or Jews), as this is a Judeo-Christian country. I like her quick wit, and while the left looks for another conservative to scapegoat, ridicule and lecture, I won’t be a part of it. Plus, Ann Coulter is smokin’ hot!

I’m with you. I don’t pay much attention to her these days since it has become pretty obvious that she is more about getting publicity for herself than she is about effectively advancing conservative positions. Just as an aside, her attempts to explain Christian doctrine and the Gospel on D. Deutsch’s show were pretty incoherent and garbled.

He didn’t tell you what you may or may not post. He clearly made a polite request—which is his right, and which you have the right of agreeing to or disagreeing with (and thus try to ‘missionize him’).

27
posted on 10/12/2007 3:41:06 PM PDT
by Jedi Master Pikachu
( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)

“I have received a surprising number of emails from friends basically asking “What are you going to do about Coulter?” This is a reference to her recent comment that she is hoping for the perfection of the Jews. My response is this: what else would a Christian hope for? That’s the message of the New Testament: Jesus came to fulfil, complete, perfect the Law. If you’re a Christian, that’s what you believe. If you don’t accompany this belief by burning Jews who refuse to become perfected at the stake why would any Jew have a problem? Why do some Jews think that Christians should not really believe what they believe while it’s okay for Jews to really believe they are God’s Chosen People? I don’t get it. Whatever happened to the pluralism of ideas? In any case, what I’m going to do about Coulter is finish her latest exhilarating book, If Democrats Had Any Brains They’d Be Republicans, which happens to be a hall of fame of her so-called “over the top” moments that drive leftists crazy. Right on Ann.”

As a Christian I think it is the only way. Coulter thinks Christianity is the right way. You are a Jew and must believe your way is the right way. Cut the lady some slack. There is no one, including Coulter, who believes that 100% of the Rebpublicans are Christian. It’s probably closer to 99%. Ha ha. Don’t be so sensitive. We Republicans are happy to have Jews and Muslims voting for the conservatives principles that the Republic was founded on.

No one here should defend attempts to define conservatism or the Republican Party as limited to believing Christians. . .

I agree and haven't seen any posters making that claim.

I also have the liberty to talk of my faith and not be apologetic for my convictions in my beliefs.

I can acknowledge that others follow Scientology, Rev. Moon, wicca, paganism, devout atheism, etc. but I don't have to look for the "silver lining" in their belief systems.

There are a lot of misguided people in this world (see Scientology). Doesn't even have to be religious or political or dietary.

There are subjective differences of opinion (say in music). I can be tolerant of your difference of taste but I don't have to apologize for my lack of support for your choices, whatever they are.

Ann made a comment that can be heard in the clips' I've heard rebroadcast where she says that it would be good if was an observant Jew. The host says he is. That was an issue that could have been discussed to find some common ground. Not even settle the argument of which is the "true" belief system (or if Christians are "misguided" followers of a false prophet), just to speak about how that faith in something greater than themselves (Ann or the host) does affect their worldview and on that they can agree.

41
posted on 10/12/2007 3:45:34 PM PDT
by weegee
(NO THIRD TERM. America does not need another unconstitutional Clinton co-presidency.)

I can’t argue or debate you on the merits of her latest comments because I haven’t heard or read them in their entirety and context.

What I can say is that Ann does not have any history I’m aware of that is remotely anti-semetic. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

Maybe off-topic, but a lot of Jews believe people who support them do so primarily out of Christian views (G-d’s chosen people, etc....). I’d venture to say that Jews and Israel recieve a lot of support because of their admirable attributes (excluding the lunacy of voting for dems) as a people.

First, if you are going to condemn someone for something they said, give us the quote. I'm willing to bet that you have misattributed something to Ann.

Second, Ann embodies a quality that every conservative should exalt. She speaks her mind, and is unabashed about her beliefs. We have many so-called conservatives who are afraid to say what they really think because it is unpopular or because some minority group objects to it, and that is exactly why the Left gets to control the debate so much of the time. We live in a virtual tyranny of the minority because people are afraid to say anything that might offend even the smallest minority group, and often that means that the speaker compromises his beliefs in favor of the group who claims offense.

Third, Ann is not running for public office. She can say whatever the hell she wants.

Fourth, the USA did, indeed, begin as a Christian nation. The Christian tradition was upheld fully until the last couple of decades. That doesn't mean that the US has to remain primarily a Christian nation, although I hope it does, but nobody gets to rewrite our history. If you don't like the history of the US, you are always free to move to a country whose history you do like.

We Christian conservatives are very grateful for your participation in the political arena. I don’t think Coulter in any way feels you don’t belong. You are taking everything wrong, being particularly sensitive to this issue. She is talking about eternal matters when she says everyone shuld be Christian. The blood of Christ is the only acceptable sacrifice to atone for your sins. What she isn’t talking about is the Republican Party, other than in a general sense that many of them are Christians. The values represented (or at least used to be represented) by the Republican Party are Judeo-Christian, not uniquely Christian. So don’t worry about it. They are wonderful values, but you still sin and therefore still need a Savior — two different issues.

45
posted on 10/12/2007 3:48:20 PM PDT
by The Ghost of FReepers Past
(Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)

Christopher Hitchens recently made the media circuit pimping his atheist screed against ALL religions (but specifically forcusing on how the world would be better off without Christianity). THAT is intolerant.

Islam’s worldview is that non-muslims are second class citizens under Islamic law. That is discriminatory and Islamic supremacist in ideology. They are tough on muslims who convert away from the faith of Islam because unlike non-muslims, they WERE saved and turned their backs on Mohammed/Allah.

48
posted on 10/12/2007 3:49:08 PM PDT
by weegee
(NO THIRD TERM. America does not need another unconstitutional Clinton co-presidency.)

Dude, you are missionizing (is that a word?) us for multi-culturalism - don’t say anything that might offend Eskimos, because there just might be one of them here amongst us, the 1,000 rednecks that gathered at this hall. Eff that, dude! That’s another demand for everyone to eat tasteless white bread, so that a slice of pumpernickel won’t offend a challah eater. Thanks, but no mucho gracias.

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